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Trump Focused on Biden Nearly a Month After He Exited Race; Daughter of Former Thailand Prime Minister to be New Prime Minister; Ernesto Intensifies to Category 2, Continues Toward Bermuda; Deadly Fires in Greece Blamed on Climate Change; U.S. Gymnast Jordan Chiles: IOC's Decision Devastating. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired August 16, 2024 - 04:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[04:30:00]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are sharing dueling visions for America's economy. Trump made his elite golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, the setting for his false accusations about Harris driving up the cost of consumer goods. His aides set up tables filled with props, including food, charts, and a model home to indicate certain costs that have arisen.

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to announce her economic policies later today in North Carolina. She appeared alongside President Joe Biden on Thursday for the first time since he dropped out of the race. The vice presidential debate between Senator J.D. Vance and Governor Tim Walz is now set for September 18th. And while Trump is indeed running against Harris, it sometimes seems like he just can't stop fixating on President Biden. CNN's Brian Todd explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At Thursday's news conference, another instance where the former president couldn't help himself.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And Joe Biden, too. I mentioned him, but he's sort of gonzo. It all started with the debate.

TODD (voice-over): It's been almost a month since President Biden has been in Donald Trump's political rearview mirror. Almost a month that Trump's actually been running against Kamala Harris.

[04:35:00]

But Trump just can't let go of Joe Biden.

TRUMP: Joe Biden is a very angry man. You know that, right? They put in a candidate and we beat him badly. TODD (voice-over): At rallies, in news conferences, and in his long interview with Elon Musk, Trump has repeatedly brought Biden up.

TRUMP: Don't forget, I beat Biden. He failed in the debate miserably.

TODD (voice-over): Trump gloats over Biden's exit, incessantly ridicules the president. He even did an impression of Biden, sort of.

TRUMP: Like a question, like, what did you have for dinner tonight? Remember, Joe, what kind of ice cream is your favorite? Vanilla. Oh, I like vanilla.

TODD (voice-over): Trump's barbs over the debate, analysts say, give a clue to his fixation.

TRUMP: If we didn't have a debate, he'd still be there. Can you imagine if we didn't have a debate? Why the hell did I debate him?

LEIGH ANN CALDWELL, CO-AUTHOR, WASHINGTON POST'S "EARLY BRIEF": Donald Trump is obsessed with it because he wants the race that he had a month ago. It seemed like he was on a glide path to victory. He knew how to run against Joe Biden.

TODD (voice-over): A Trump biographer says what also could be at play here is what he believes is Trump's preoccupation with people who have opposed him in any way.

DAVID CAY JOHNSTON, PROFESSOR, ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: Donald has said many times that his life philosophy is a single word, revenge. But any time he's slighted or wronged in any way, he's like a crow that never forgets the person who threw rocks at them.

TODD (voice-over): Trump also seems a bit obsessed with a false conspiracy theory he's been propagating about Biden leaving the race.

TRUMP: What they did to him was disgraceful, by the way. And it really is a threat to democracy. It was a coup.

TRUMP: This was a coup. This was a coup of a president of the United States. He didn't want to leave. And they said, we can do it the nice way or we can do it the hard way.

TRUMP: The presidency was taken away from Joe Biden. And I'm no Biden fan. He had a rough debate. But that doesn't mean that you just take it away like that.

TODD (voice-over): Analysts say there's a serious political risk with Trump's continued harping on Biden.

CALDWELL: The risk is that he is unable to run an effective campaign against Kamala Harris. Every Republican that I talk to says that what Donald Trump should be focusing on is the economy, is crime, is border security. But Donald Trump has not been able to stay on message.

TODD: We reached out to the Trump campaign to ask why the former president has kept mentioning President Biden following Biden's exit from the race and to see if the campaign had any other comment for our story. We haven't heard back.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Thailand is a step closer to getting a new prime minister. And while she would be the youngest person ever to hold the post, her name is very familiar to Thai voters.

CNN's Marc Stewart joins us now with the latest. So, Marc, the new prime minister isn't a stranger to Thailand's political scene, right?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Kim, good morning. Thailand's new prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, is from a political dynasty in Thailand. Powerful, divisive, yet has been part of the political landscape and often turbulent political landscape in Thailand for the past two decades. She made this quick rise to prime minister just hours ago, approved by parliament after the previous prime minister was ousted after a court ruling over some constitutional concerns after an appointment in his cabinet.

Her party, the coalition, had the vote. So she was able to be approved by the parliament as the next prime minister of Thailand.

Let's look back at her history, because it's pretty interesting to see this family dynasty, this family legacy. First of all, as we mentioned, she is just 37 years old, making her the youngest prime minister in Thailand history.

Her father is former prime minister, yet he was ousted in 2006 after a military coup. But the family bonds, the family legacy goes even beyond that. Her aunt was the first prime minister of Thailand, also exited office. There was also a coup involved as well with her.

So it gives you an idea as to the very rocky political landscape that Paetongtarn Shinawatra is entering.

But analysts point out her movement into politics wasn't necessarily a surprise. They say it was a long time coming because there are recollections that when she was a child, she would be with her father at many events. So she got a full taste of the political atmosphere. She was educated in Thailand as well as the United Kingdom.

And she will face some big challenges when she -- when she takes over, including Thailand's economy. Her predecessor made some big strides to try to jumpstart the economy, particularly with job creation and coming up with ways to increase spending. We don't know if that is what her focus will be.

[04:40:00]

She just held a news conference, so we're getting a little bit more insight. But she will face some challenges just based off the political landscape of the past.

We should point out that she will be able to establish her own cabinet. So perhaps that will give us a better idea of the direction that the government will be heading in. Kim, this is, for all intents and purposes, a final decision. But the king actually has to sign off on that. The proper term is royal endorsement. That's something that is expected in the not so distant future.

So even though it is official, the formal installation will not take place until we hear from the king of Thailand. Again, appears to be a formality -- Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Interesting. New face, old name. Marc Stewart in Beijing. Thank you so much.

Africa and the Caribbean have the potential to tap into $1.8 billion worth of trade by 2028. That's according to a new report by the International Trade Center. Connecting Africa correspondent Victoria Rubadiri visited the Center of Plant Medicine Research in Ghana to see how the move to expand into the Caribbean is going.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VICTORIA RUBADIRI, CNN ANCHOR, CONNECTING AFRICA (voice-over): Just north of Accra, this three-acre medicinal plant garden is the source of what could be a prosperous trade partnership between Ghana and Barbados. Dr. Kofi Donkor is head of research and innovation at the center. He showed me some of the 130 plant species that are grown here, each with a specific healing property.

RUBADIRI: Have you managed to develop any products and do they treat any specific conditions?

DR. KOFI DONKOR, HEAD OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, CENTER FOR PLANT MEDICINAL RESEARCH: One of these products for treating benign prostate hyperplasia, you find some of these plants also in the Caribbean. And it's not surprising because most of the people in the Caribbean have heritage in Africa.

RUBADIRI (voice-over): Despite being a more than 6,500 kilometer flight away, it was this heritage link that first drew Export Barbados to the work being done in Ghana.

MARK HILL, CEO, EXPORT BARBADOS: So Barbados we have a very strong life science strategy, focusing on building our pharmaceutical industry. The Center for Plant Medicine became a natural linkage to move away from, as much as possible, from synthetic medicine and to really look at how do we leverage our biological resources both as African people and as Caribbean people.

RUBADIRI (voice-over): The center says it produces 120,000 capsules every month, with a portion of those being sent to the Caribbean. Once the capsules arrive in the Caribbean, Export Barbados handles the distribution. One bottle currently retails for US$50. A cost Export Barbados hopes to bring down if they can overcome logistic hurdles.

HILL: The cost of shipping from Ghana by year, that's about 60 percent of the cost. We're working on how do we drive these costs down. So a direct flight, for example, will help us be able to move a lot more food, a lot more medicine across the continent a lot quicker.

RUBADIRI (voice-over): Back in Ghana, the center says it plans to ramp up its capsule production to 360,000 per month, if more investment is pumped into the program.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Hurricane Ernesto has intensified to Category 2 strength in the Atlantic after pummeling Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. It reached maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour as of this morning. Ernesto is forecast to continue strengthening and is expected to pass near or over Bermuda on Saturday. Tropical storm conditions on the island are likely to begin this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Japan's eastern coast is bracing for a typhoon ampoule, now the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. It's been intensifying rapidly and is now the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. Thousands have been ordered to evacuate, with some homes losing power earlier as typhoon ampoule continues to strengthen near the capital, Tokyo.

Here in the U.S., 45 million people are under heat alerts today, mainly across the south. That means cities from Dallas to Little Rock to New Orleans will be seeing temperatures climb, ranging between 95 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit, with heat indices as high as 115 degrees. The heat is expected to continue through next week over portions of the southern plains and Gulf Coast.

A faulty power cable may have sparked a deadly wildfire in Greece earlier this week near Athens, an area the size of Paris was left scorched and blackened. Wildfires are becoming regular parts of this Greek summer.

And as CNN's Eleni Giokos reports climate change is being blamed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The horror of Greece's wildfires. But these are not images from this year's fires. This is from 2018, 2021, and 2024. Year after year, fires rage across Greece, leaving a path of destruction.

GIOKOS: This is part of Parnitha Forest, and if you look at the blackened trees behind me, you can't tell that a fire ravaged this area one year ago. And every now and again, I get the smell of charcoal that still lingers in the air.

GIOKOS (voice-over): Last year, we were in this very street in Parnitha. This house looked like this then, and now it's still exactly the same.

PANAGIOTIS SIDIRPOULOS, LOCAL RESIDENT (through translator): The situation hasn't changed over this year. No one from the authorities has come here. It's complete abandonment, and it doesn't just concern us. It's a general phenomenon in Greece.

GIOKOS (voice-over): Annual fires have become one of Greece's biggest problems. In the Attica region, that includes the entire Athens metropolitan area. In the last eight years, wildfires destroyed more than 700,000 hectares here.

Climate change has increased the risk of wildfires in Greece. Higher temperatures, drier forests, stronger winds.

SIDIRPOULOS (through translator): The climate has changed. The temperature has definitely risen. There is no vegetation anywhere, so even the stones are scorching hot.

GIOKOS (voice-over): Many point the finger at the government, expecting more action.

STEFANOS KASSELAKIS, LEADER OF OPPOSITION PARTY SYRIZA: Climate change is a reality, but it's not just a Greek reality. Why have we not seen this in other European capitals, including in our zone, our latitude?

[04:50:00]

So it's truly something to consider, particularly because we have been the recipients of a lot of EU funds. And the question is, where have those gone?

GIOKOS (voice-over): CNN's requests to the Greek government have not been returned. Greece's prime minister told Reuters that it is constantly improving, devoting almost $2 billion to tackle fires. And he says seven newly bought firefighting aircraft are three years away.

Now the damage is being assessed. Numbers will be attached to everything you see here. But one thing that can't be quantified, the fear and pain every time a fire strikes.

Eleni Giokos, CNN, Parnitha, Greece.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Spain is being drenched with heavy rain. Storms overturned boats and forced flights to be cancelled. The northern region of Mallorca saw an extreme red warning for heavy rain. Flooding and hail are reported in other regions. Residents are being urged not to travel unless it's an emergency.

Elsewhere, at least 10 European countries are still under heat alerts today. In Greece, it's sparking wildfires as the northern Balkans and Italy are sweltering.

All right, still ahead, American gymnast Jordan Chiles is speaking out after the decision to strip away the bronze medal she won at the Paris Games. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:55:00] BRUNHUBER: House lawmakers are concerned about how the world's anti- doping watchdog handled the controversy involving China's elite swimmers. The leaders of the Energy and Commerce Committee sent a bruising letter to the head of the world's anti-doping agency on Thursday.

They claimed 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics but the agency kept that under wraps. The controversy was later revealed by reporters. The letter says two other swimmers, including one who just competed in Paris, also had a positive test two years ago. The lawmakers are demanding an independent investigation and an explanation of why the results were kept secret.

Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles speaks out after being dealt the latest blow in the battle over the bronze medal she was awarded for her individual floor routine at the Paris Games. Chiles said the International Olympic Committee's decision to reallocate the medal to Romania's Ana Barbosu feels unjust and comes as a significant blow.

But the fight doesn't seem over yet for Chiles who believes, quote: The people in control will do the right thing.

All right, finally this hour, a shakeup at ESPN as the sports network has fired two of its NFL football commentators. Analyst Robert Griffin III, or RG3 as he's also known, and host Samantha Ponder are both out. That's according to a source familiar with the situation who said the moves were business decisions. Griffin had been regularly featured on programming since joining ESPN three years ago. Ponder had been with the network since 2011 and most recently hosted the program NFL Sunday Countdown.

CNN has reached out to ESPN for comment.

All right, that wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. CNN "THIS MORNING" is next.